Mr. Tod's Pies Celebrates First Anniversary in Downtown Newark

A Newark Bakery’s 40-Year Journey from Street Corners to Downtown Home

Four decades ago, a University of Richmond student named Tod Wilson hopped a plane from Norfolk, Va., to Newark with a simple plan: sell pies. He walked city streets, knocking on doors of Napoli Pizzeria and Barbecue Hut, his destination the very same Halsey Street and Branford Place corner where he now stands as a business owner. On Monday, Nov. 2, that journey marked a milestone, as Mr. Tod’s Pies celebrated its first anniversary in its downtown Newark location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the City Council were there to officially recognize the bakery’s growth and its deepening roots in the city’s downtown business community, a story TAPinto reported.

This is more than just a bakery anniversary. Mr. Tod’s Pies, which began as a summer hustle, has evolved into a brand known nationwide for its sweet potato pies and Southern-inspired desserts.

A Corner of Newark, Then and Now

Mayor Baraka, in a letter presented to Wilson, highlighted the practical significance of keeping a business like his open on a Newark corridor. “You opened your doors downtown in November and spent the year since serving pies, cakes, cobblers and coffee to people who work, study and live on Halsey Street,” the mayor wrote. “Every storefront that stays open on a Newark corridor brings foot traffic, jobs and a reason for people to stop rather than pass through.”

Invest Newark CEO Marcus Randolph echoed this sentiment, calling the bakery “a labor of love.” He noted Wilson’s hands-on commitment, saying, “He’s up here from sunup to sundown, and he’s keeping this corner more and more active.” This constant presence isn’t just good for business; it’s a catalyst for the surrounding area, encouraging other foot traffic and reinforcing the viability of the downtown corridor.

“This is really a labor of love for him. He’s up here from sunup to sundown, and he’s keeping this corner more and more active.” — Marcus Randolph, CEO of Invest Newark

From Factory to Four Corners

Before returning to Newark, Mr. Tod’s Pies had already built a formidable legacy. In 2002, Wilson established his pie factory in Somerset, New Jersey, quickly gaining a devoted following for his signature sweet potato pies. The brand’s big break came in 2009 when Wilson became the first entrepreneur to pitch on ABC’s Shark Tank, introducing his pies to a national television audience. The exposure was immense, and the business continued to grow, earning a feature in the New York Times in 2010 titled “When the Pie Line Grows Long,” which famously described customers lining up before sunrise for Thanksgiving pies.

Yet, after more than two decades of building the brand through a factory, national supermarket partnerships with chains like Wegmans and ShopRite, and a large mail-order operation, Wilson felt a pull back to his origin story. He wanted to establish a physical presence in the city that gave him his first chance. The Halsey Street bakery is more than just a retail space; it’s a community hub. The ground floor offers an assortment of pies, mini cakes, cobblers, and coffee, while an upstairs lounge provides a place for people to sit, enjoy their desserts, and simply be in the neighborhood.

City officials, including Sen. Majority M. Teresa Ruiz, acknowledged the historic nature of Branford Place within Newark’s Four Corners Historic District. “As Newark continues to change its face, we continue to preserve what a community looked like in prior years,” Ruiz said. “That kind of build-out happens with modernization, but with a nod to the past, so that we always know where we’ve come from and where we’re going.”

The People’s Pie: Passion Over Profit

Across the street from Mr. Tod’s Pies lies Hobby’s Delicatessen, a Newark institution. The Brummer brothers, Michael and Marc, who own Hobby’s, joined the ceremony, showing the collaborative spirit that defines this part of Newark.

After Business Administrator Eric Pennington raved about the sweet potato pie, Mayor Baraka joked that his administrator now “lives at Mr. Tod’s Pies.” The quip, made in good humor, revealed a deeper truth: the bakery has successfully integrated itself into the daily lives of Newark residents and workers.

Looking ahead, Mr. Tod’s Pies is preparing for its second Thanksgiving season with its annual 24-Hour Bake-A-Thon. On Wednesday, Nov. 25, the bakery will remain open around the clock to offer sweet potato, apple crumb, pecan, chocolate pecan, pumpkin, and buttermilk coconut pies to families celebrating the holiday.

“This is passion,” he said, reflecting on his 40-year journey. “This isn’t about me… it’s about the city of Newark and the people who took a chance on me and gave me an opportunity.” In a city often defined by its challenges, Mr. Tod’s Pies stands as a delicious, daily reminder of what happens when passion and opportunity meet on a Newark street corner.